Self-serving cafe or cafeteria



Sept. 8, 1931. B. L. HARKEY 1,822,288

SELF SERVING CAF'h OR CAFETERIA Filed May 8. 1929 INVENTOFI ATTOR NEX.

Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES BOOK LLOYD HARKEY, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA SELF-SERVING CAFE OR GAFETERIA Application filed May 8, 1929. Serial No. 361,291.

This invention relates to a self-service cafe or cafeteria in which a central annular moving platform carries the food past an outer annular table about which the patrons sit.

For sanitary reasons it is desirable to shield the food on the central platform but the food must be accessible to the patrons sitting around the table.

An object of my invention is to provide a convenient shield for the food on a table of the character stated which can be quickly and easily operated by the patron.

Another object is to provide a glass shield for the food on a self-serving table of the character stated which is normally held in raised position and is lowered by the patron when he desires to remove food from the central platform.

Further objects are to provide a table of the character stated which is simplein con struction, effective in use, and simple in operation.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a table embodying my invention with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the table taken from the outside thereof, and with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the table.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the table showing a slightly modilied form of table.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates an outer annular table about which the patrons sit. An inner moving platform 2 is provided upon which the food is placed and which is carried around to the various patrons. The platform 2 is mounted upon a framework 3 which rises from the floor and a plurality of rollers a are mounted upon the framework and the platform rests on these rollers so that it is rotated with a minimum of effort.

The platform 2 is rotated by means of a chain 5 which completely encircles the platformon a track 6 which depends therefrom, and a sprocket 7 is mounted on a shaft 8 and the chain 5 encircles said sprocket. The shaft 8 is adjustably mounted in bearings 9 which are slidable in a cage 10, or the like. Bolts 11, 11 hold the bearing 9 in adjusted position. Thus the chain 5 can be always held taut so that the platform 2 will be properly rotated. A motor 12 drives the shaft 8 through suitable gearing 13.

The food on the platform 2 is protected by means of a plurality of glass panes 14, said panes being slidably mounted in posts 15 which rise from the table 1. Rollers 16 are provided in the posts 15 and the edges of the panes 14L bear against these rollers, thus causing'the panes to move up and down easily and without'danger of binding. metal clip 17 is secured to the top of each of the panes 14., the purposebeing to enable the patron to press downwardly on the metal clip thus assistingin keeping the glass clean and equaling the force on both edges of the pane so that it will not bind in the guides.

A cable 18 is secured to the lower edge of the pane 14 and this cable extends over a pulley 19 and thence downwardly to a counter-Weight 20. When the pane 14: is raised the weight 20 rests upon a rubber or felt pad 21, thus limiting the upward movement of the pane and also the pad serves to deaden the sound of the weight as it hits the floor.

In operation, the patron moves the pane 14 downwardly between the grooves in the posts 15, removes the food that he. desires from the platform 2, and then releases the pane so that the counter-weight 20 can again raise the said pane to its normally elevated position.

In Figure 4 I have. shown a slightly modified form of holding the glass in raised position. This method consists of a cable 22 which is secured to the frame 3 and extends over a pulley 23, and thence to a counterweight 24. The cable 22 passes under the pane 14 and thispane rests upon the cable. It will be evident that a downward movement of the pane will cause the counterweight 24 to rise and When the pressure is removed from the pane the counter-Weight will again cause it to be elevated.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a self-serving cafe comprising a central rotary platform, an outer stationary table, a plurality of posts rising from said table, a plurality of panes slidably mounted in said post-s, rollers in said posts against which the pane is adapted to bear, and counterweight means secured to said pane whereby the pane is held in raised position, said counterweight means comprising a cable secured to the bottom of the pane, a pulley over which the cable extends, and a counterweight secured to the end of said cable.

2. In a self-serving cafe, comprising a central rotary platform, an outer stationary table, a plurality of spaced posts rising from the stationary table, a pane slidably mounted between adjacent pairs of posts, said panes being adapted to be depressed whereby the top edge of the panes are flush with the top of the table, and counter weight means attached to the panes whereby the panes are normally held in raised position above the table.

3. In a self-serving cafe, comprising a central rotary platform, an outer stationary table, a plurality of spaced posts rising from the stationary table, a pane slidably mounted between adjacent pairs of posts, said panes being adapted to be depressed whereby the top edge of the panes are flush with the top of the table, a cable secured to the bottom of each of the panes, a pulley over which the cable extends, and a counter wei ht secured to the free end of the cable.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

BOOK LLOYD HARKEY. 

